TOOLKIT.

For many, the right manners do matter

May 30, 2001|By Knight Ridder Tribune.

To professionals whose attitudes about the work world are colored khaki, not pin-stripe gray, the word "etiquette" sounds old-fashioned. Others say they feel more comfortable knowing the rules of professional protocol, from which fork to use during lunch with the boss to how to present a business card.

Barbara Bergstrom, who earns a living teaching business manners, has these tips:

Don't say "Hi" --that sounds immature--say "Hello." Say the full name of the most important person first: "John Jones, I'd like to introduce to you Sally Smith, our new assistant."

Rules for business lunches: Enter and exit your chair from the right. Place your napkin on your lap, fold toward you. Avoid messy foods such as spaghetti. Order water with no ice so your glass doesn't drip. Rest your soup spoon on the saucer, not on the tabletop or in the bowl.